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Monday, April 23, 2012

Yesterday and today, we are celebrating Rosh Chodesh IYAR, the beginning of the new Jewish month Iyar (אייר), and I almost missed it. I have been more than tired lately and just went to sleep after work. And when you do so, you definitely miss something coming up.:-)

Officially the name IYAR has its roots in the Babylonian language but the chassidic book "Bnei Yissachar" regards the first letters of Iyar as an abbriviation of the names of our forefathers. At least the first letter: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov und Rachel.

Our task is to learn from the deeds of our forefathers and, therefore, there is the tradition to study the Talmud Tractate AVOT on Rosh Chodesh Iyar. As we are in the middle of counting the OMER, we automatically have the chance of doing at least one daily Mitzvah.

Every new month also stands for a new beginning in our lives. Moreover we should thank G - d that we got to this point in our life; meaning, that we have been alive so far.The month of Iyar stands for LIGHT and, according to "The Book of Creation" and "Bnei Yissachar", it is the month of HEALING. Spring has arrived and thus we are filled with new energies.

According to Kabbalah (Sefer Yetzirah - Book of Creation), every Jewish month has its own letter, tribe, human organ or sense. The letter of Iyar is the VAV ו, the tribe is Yissachar, the human sense is thought, the horoscope is Taurus and the organ is the right kidney. It says in Talmud Berachot 61b that the kidney gives us advice and the heart decides about which way to go. The tongue articulates and the mouth ends the process.

On 14th Iyar (this year the date is falling on 6 May (Sunday), we are going to celebrate "Pessach Sheni", the second Pessach. Everyone should have one Mazza left in order to eat it on Pessach Sheni. Whoever used to be impure on Pessach, received a second chance to eat from the Korban Pessach.

In Iyar, we also celebrate Lag Be'Omer. This year, Lag Be'Omer is going to start on a Wednesday night and we are celebrating until Thursday night (9 + 10 May).

About Me

After years of living in Jerusalem, I decided to betray the city by moving to Tel Aviv.:-) In the meantime I returned to the Holy City. It is actually very good to be back in Jerusalem !!!
Nevertheless, I am still writing about Jerusalem but also include many other places in Israel.
Until some years ago, I was a Yeshiva (Michlalah) student. First with the national religious and later with the Litvishe. Also got in contact with Chassidut and this subject and lifestyle has never left me.